Computer systems are often upgraded by installing an expansion card into the host computer. Expansion cards are circuit boards that are plugged into a host computer's bus in order to add a desired set of functions to the computer. Expansion cards typically contain any number of hardware components and connect to the motherboard of the host computer via an expansion slot on the motherboard. An expansion card includes a bus connector that inserts into the expansion slot on the motherboard in order to electrically and communicatively connect the hardware components on the expansion card to the motherboard. The bus connector enables power and/or data to be transferred between the components on the expansion card and the motherboard. When the components of the expansion card utilize computer system power transferred via the bus connector, then these components will only be operational when the computer system is powered, unless an external wall power adapter is connected to the expansion card. This limitation restricts a user's ability to utilize an expansion card when a host computer system is powered down. This restriction is particularly problematic when the expansion card is a remote server management card used to control and monitor the host computer system.
It is with respect to these considerations and others that the various embodiments of the invention have been made.